fourish solution

[tropicfishman]

I want to retry a planted tank in my 10 gallon, I'm going to buy a new hood thats flourescent, and I was wondering if one or two plants like hornwort or something would stay healthy with a single fourescent and using that flourish stuff??? I don't want to go to co2 injection or root heating if i have to, seems like to much of a mess. I use noraml gravel as my substrate, the kind for aquariums not driveways lol

 

[BlazerFRS]

Hornwort would likely be fine under one tube with no ferts.

And those substrate heaters are basically bogus from what I hear.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

With the normal lighting and some fish, you will be ok. If you get a little stronger lighting, you might want to use Flourish Excel. But if you are under 2w/g, then no need to worry about it.

 

[tropicfishman]

well i have 2 25 watt blue bulbs, and its a ten gallon, so i'm thinking thats it probally 5 wpg???? does anyone know if thats right?

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Not incandescent. incandescent will work out to less then 1WPG effective, probably way worse. Try 9w CF screw in's, it will take you to 1.8WPG. you should be able to grow a fair amount of things.

 

[malkore]

You'd need 2 PC screw ins to grow anything in there. Incandescent is next to useless for growing plants. as the wattage to lumens ratio is crap, at best.

I too would suggest a pair of 9-10w PC screw-ins. All-Glass makes a nice daylight one.
But keep in mind, due to the poor (or missing) reflector in your hood, you'll be lucky to get 50% of the total output going down into the tank. Still, that'll be close to 1wpg.

Stick to crypts, java ferns, anubias nana...and hornwort might do ok too.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

well i have 2 25 watt blue bulbs, and its a ten gallon, so i'm thinking thats it probally 5 wpg???? does anyone know if thats right?

What do you mean by blue bulbs? Incandescent will be way, way less, and if they are colored bulbs, would be considered next to nothing. You need the florescents to do any real good for plants.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

You can screw them in (Compact flourescent) then rest a piece of aluminum above the bulb to reflect more light back in. Or attach it behind where the bulbs screw in.